People thought the six of them to be very strange. They found them weird and different and… all round bizarre in the grand scheme of things. For this reason, yet not this reason alone, they were out casts. They were not to be associated with for longer than a few hours a week at very most unless you wished to join there little band; even then they had to accept you.

No one really knew when it had become the social norm to only befriend other members of your own house, yet the rest of the student body seemed to conform to it. The Gryffindor's went to hogs mead with the Gryffindor's. The Slytherin's asked Slytherin's out. The same applied for every possible social situation, for every house. Or, at least it did the majority of the time.

Maybe the hat had strategically made it that way. Sorting people into houses specifically so that they would only like others of their particular house. So that they'd work better as a unit in the house competitions. So they'd want the cup more. So they'd care about all those silly house points.

But if that was in fact the case, then the hat had gone horribly wrong with these six.

Natasha Romanov had been the first girl to be placed in Slytherin out of her year group way back in first year. She was sly, sneaky, manipulative and the house loved her. She was exceptional at the execution of almost all spells, but particularly defense against the dark arts and was the current seeker on the quidditch team. Something laid down to her extraordinary talent on a broom. Her fighting skills were also exceedingly skilled, and she possessed a black belt in four different forms of martial arts, though the teachers knew little of this. Other than that though, she was a fairly average student. Her grades normal, her herbology work and papers expectable, no more.

Clint Barton though, had a particular talent for charming objects above all else. From enchanting pens to take down his notes for him, to floating text books just to annoy his friends, he had it down. He was always present for his lessons in charms without fail, yet his attendance remained spotty in all other topics. Though try as the teachers might, he would never be found when skipping out on class. It was impossible. He knew Hogwarts secret passages better than Dumbledore himself, and he was only in his fifth year at the school; one below the others. Clint knew well though, that it was stupid to even attempt walk to passages unprotected. What with all the beasties and monsters running about in them, and that big ass snake only he seemed to know about. But not being great with his wand, he could always be seen with his enchanted bow. Clint was a Hufflepuff.

Steve Rogers had been placed in Gryffindor before the hat had even grazed his head, to absolutely no one's surprise. It was almost as though the very essence of good poured from that guy's whole body at a never ending rate, even if his frame was small. His homework was always in on time, with clear effort shown over every sentence. He was present for every class, showing up at least five minutes early. He persistently came with the right equipment, and with spares for anyone who had forgotten there's. In theory he should have been the perfect student. The only trouble was he wasn't the smartest wizard on the platform 9 3/4. But his bravery, well that out shone all of his down falls.

Steve and Thor could be considered similar in a hell of a lot of ways. Thor was a do gooder as well, though not to the same extent. He was placed in Gryffindor house with little to no difficulty from the hat. Plus, he also found class difficult and had a lot of trouble with subjects like magical history and potions, which made Professor Snape take a disliking to him. He was in fact one of the lowest in the year on his grades, but he had his strong points. He was brave, really brave. More so than most of the school, and even a lot of the professors. His spells? God did they ever pack a punch. His lighting spell in particular, Gods it was sensational. And try as everyone else might, no one else could pull it off without at the very least catching fire. His loyalty as well, was one of the strongest forces on earth.

He was startlingly different to that brilliant, shy, awkward teen Bruce Banner who'd been sorted into Ravenclaw. He was top of his year in almost every core subject at Hogwarts, flying through the classes with boredom and ease. His extract curricular work as well always stood out from the others, even in years above. Before last year he'd spent every single one of his nights drowned in books in the library, and all of his days studying unbelievably hard in class. He'd avoided the other pupils like the plague, as he knew full well how cruel they could be, to the slightly bulky, floppy haired, awkward Bruce. So he'd stayed on his own. He'd stayed in his books. But he was not without his rebellious streak. Many times over the years he'd snuck into the forbidden forest under the cover of nightfall; justifying it to himself that he was just looking for ingredients for potions class. In reality though, he just loved the thrill. Luckily he no longer needed to risk his life for that particular rush though. That came with being best friends with Tony Stark.

Howard Stark had been the Ravenclaw wonder boy way back when. Top of the year. Head boy. Going on to become one of the biggest names in all of magical history.

So no one was shocked when Tony proved to be just the genius his farther had planned him to be. He cast his first intentional spell aged five, his first potion age eight. In fact the only kid ahead of him in school was Bruce, but Tony was fine with that even if he didn't always act it. Unlike his dear old dad, Tony was a Slytherin, after a slight argument with the sorting hat that was. But Tony lived up to the house standards in every way. He misbehaved, smuggled in booze, had parties in his room as often as possible, consistently late homework. Tony was the typical bad boy, with a completely secrete heart of gold. Couldn't let anyone know about that though could he. Would destroy his image.

On their own, they were strange. Natasha was cold; Clint misbehaved; Steve, too good to be true; Thor spoke like he lived in a Shakespearian text book; Bruce, awkward and Tony was just too cocky to believe. But together they make simply no sense. Yet they were always together.

In class, they would pare up with each other over the others without a seconds hesitation whenever possible. After school they'd all group together in Tony's room, or head down to hogs mead. House events they'd cheer for each other instead of their own house mates. They were inseparable, and to everyone other than themselves, they were freaks.

The only time when they accepted not being able to glue themselves to another of the groups sides was in the lunch hall, where weather they liked it or not, the tables were set into houses. But still they found a way around it. They'd all sit at the very back of their house tables, closest to the door, and from there they couldn't be stopped.

Tasha and Tony would sit beside each other at the Slytherin table. Tony laughing and Tasha making sardonic comments, as they threw hundreds of enchanted notes over to Bruce and Clint who sat alone at their own house tables.

Clint being the most independent from the group, seeing as he was in the year below the others, didn't mind so much the separation. He was good at being alone, and found he could form a conversation with practically anyone. But still he laughed at the notes and shot many back attached to his arrows. Most often with pervy comments for Tasha.

Bruce however, who couldn't communicated successfully with anyone but his group of friends treasured these notes like gold. He'd always smile at the funny little comments Tony would send him, or the stupid little pictures. He'd shoot one back occasionally, but often by the time he'd thought of a reply, Tony would already have sent another six messages across, all that made his smile. He didn't mind not being able to reply though, especially since he'd found a couple of months ago he was completely, irreversibly in love with Tony Stark. So he'd just save to messages to glue into his diary later on for safe keeping.

Steve and Thor always had plenty to talk about at their table. Be it there latest victory over a bully or a success in class, together the two would not shut up. But though all there talking they always kept an eye out for the rest of their group. Keeping check that nothing started to get to out of hand, as it often did when Tony and Tasha were concerned. But most of all insuring all of their friends were safe. As Tony often liked to call them, they were the great protectors of the group. Watching out for all under their wings.

It was the sort of thing that just wasn't done, for whatever reason. People didn't like people from other houses. Gryffindor and Slytherin particularly hating each other.

Yet if you tried to stop them, then you really were an idiot. They might have been outcasts. And alone they might have had weaknesses. But question them as a group and you were asking for anything you got as far as a lot of people were concerned. Together they were strong. They protected each other. They were united.

Tony kept insisting they needed a gang name.

Bruce loved being a part of that.

His memory of the beginnings to his acceptance into the group was perfect. Faultless. As well as documented in excruciating detail in his diary. He never ever wanted to forget that perfect day in potions class, that day that was destined to change his whole life forever.

It had been the very first class of the new year, and as was usual of Bruce, he sat dreading the pending potions partner decisions. It was possible the most torturous thing the the fifteen year old boy had been forced to experience. And though he'd already gone through it four times prior to now, his angst over the situation did not decrease.

He'd always been used to watching as within the first twenty seconds any tight groups had split themselves into twos, and then watched as the rest were left to argue amongst themselves. He watched each and every Ravenclaw mull over in their heads what was more important to them, finding a friend and social enjoyment, or choosing to sacrifice any sort of topical conversation for the year in favor of grades. The first pupil to choose grades would inform Bruce that he was their partner and that would be that.

No one ran to pair with him as he saw many of the other teens do over the years. There was never a fight over who would go with him or anything like that. He just got to watch as the other debating Ravenclaws saw he was taken and shrugged as they found a real friend to pair with instead. It always hurt to watch. It always stung.

But that year was different.

"Hi, I'm Tony Stark. You almost indefinitely know who I am so let's skip the introductions and jump straight to me telling you what a pleasure it will be to not be working with a complete idiot this year. Not that Steve's an idiot, it's just he can't tell Wolfs Bain from, well, a wolf."

Bruce had nearly fallen over backwards as the eccentric Slytherin had popped up beside him and firmly shook his hand. The words had tumbled out of what Bruce saw as an all too sexy mouth at such speed, that it was a few moments before he even realized what was happening.

"Hi… thanks," Bruce said lamely, trying desperately to think of some possible way to reply. But it was as if Tony had just ripped his way straight into his mind, obliterating all intelligent thought as he went. "I'm Bruce Ba-"

"Please, of course I know who you are. You are quite literally the smartest kid in this whole school, which I'll admit isn't that hard, but still impressive enough to get on my radar my friend. In fact you're so smart; you're giving me a bad name. What would my dear old daddy say, if he was still around to give a shit that is?"

The manic grin that consumed not only Tony's face, but his entire body, unsettled and invited Bruce all at the same time. On the one hand he was talking as casually about his dead farther as though it were nothing but the weather, but at the same time it was just so… friendly.

Normally when people smiled at him it was with malison or snide. It was because he was the punch line to a joke, or he'd made a fool of himself in a way that only the pettiest of minds would seek amusement in. Anyway, never before had someone asking potions partnership of him smiled towards him, except maybe if being his partner had benefitted them in some way.

Plus there was the fact that Tony just seemed to be oozing confidence from every inch of his body, yet Bruce saw more. He could see the dazzling face Tony had on for the masses, but he could see past it as well. Something he doubted many people did with Tony. No one had watched people like Bruce. No one read people like Bruce could.

He saw confidence, but beneath that he saw the slightest of insecurity. He didn't know what it could be about, but it was there. A twinge of fear in his eye that something was going to knock him down. And he saw longing. But for what? What could Tony Stark possibly be longing for that Bruce could provide.

An equal?

The point of it was though, Bruce could sense at least three emotions coming off Tony in that moment, and it intrigued him. It had him wondering exactly how a person could be feeling so much at once and how it would affect them. Could he keep it under control? Did he always act this way, or was there a disturbance in the life he usually led at the moment? Would he collapse beneath the sheer power of emotion?

As a people watcher, Bruce found a lot of people really were as simple minded as society made them out to be. They felt things one emotion at a time, and all else had to wait.

Tony wasn't like that. He'd known it when he'd first seen him, and it only became more clear as time went by that he never thought that way. Nor did his friends. Tasha, Clint, Thor, Steve. All of them had more going on in them then they'd ever let surface. Each had so much hidden from everyone around them. But none so much as Tony.

"So you want to what, be my potions partner?" Bruce asked cautiously looking the Slytherin over. As a house they weren't renowned for their acceptance of those that differed from them. And though Tony seemed to be in a class of his own, Bruce was still weary. He was muggle born to contrast Tony's pure blood after all.

"Yeah, it'll be a blast. Give us three months and I'll bet we'll invent liquid fame or something."

"You're serious?" Bruce asked again, still not being able to cope with someone wanting to pair with him.

"Yes!" Tony stated with exaggerated exasperation, his hand clasping Bruce on the shoulder. He shivered at the touch. "Us geniuses got to stick together right?"

That had been the start of the best year of Bruce's life as far as he saw it, and he wasn't going to let anyone question it. Potions had actually been fun. He'd had a solid circle of friends who actually talked to him. He'd even gotten drunk for the first few times, with Steve looking out for him of course.

Tony had been his closest friend in the team though, no matter how long he spent with them as a group. But it seemed they'd all pretty much pared up in two's. Thor and Steve where a duo not to be messed with. Tasha and Clint were always sneaking off together. So Bruce thought it only logical that he was allowed to like his potions bro a little more than the others. Plus add that to the fact he was head over heels for the guy, and you really couldn't blame him exactly.

It had been a whole year since that's potions class that had changed his world. So, as he sat at his place on the Ravenclaw dining table, Bruce smiled at that were his life had gone whilst dimly listened to the new student being sorted into their houses.

He was only half conscious of the roar of cheers form Gryffindor house as that famous Harry kid got inevitably sorted with them. He honestly didn't care all that much about the whole situation, so what if the special kid was in your house, hardly changed your life did it. He did smile however when he spotted Tony with a jam lightning bolt on his head.

"Hello all, I'm Harry Potter and I speak in a flawless British accent," Tony squeaked mockingly in a put on prepubescent voice. "And I don't want to be in Slytherin 'cause I'm a goody two shoes, and I'm so much better than all of you."

Tasha's eyes rolled as she tried to ignore the totally irrelevant idiotic face Tony pulled as he spoke.

"It not like you didn't beg not to be in Ravenclaw or anything right?" the wavy red headed girl drawled sarcastically as she mindlessly caught one of Clint's arrows from the sky.

"That is a totally different scenario princess."

That earned him a glare. She was not a princess.

"It's not that I have anything against the house that holds our very sexy friend," Tony smirked, winking at Bruce over the tables. He grinned in success as his floppy haired friends head dropped and a blush flooded his cheeks. "I just don't want people thinking I'm some carbon copy of my ass hole of a dad. I've already got the genius, stick me in Ravenclaw and people'd start calling me Howard." Tony pretended to shiver at the thought, but Tasha just ignored him.

"Come on Stark, you're way too bad to have ever wound up in Ravenclaw and you know it. Exactly how muck liquor you got for tonight?"

"Enough to get Thor begging for mercy."

Tasha let a rare smile graze her lips for half a second before it dropped. Amusement was not something that knew her well, and she was perfectly fine with that placement in life. People who consistently laughed at everything just tended to piss her off.

Grabbing a steak knife from the table she quickly sliced open the message from Clint before the arrow flew back to his quiver, replacing itself perfectly where it was taken from.

Tonight will be better than Budapest, the note read in Clint's classic extravagant ornate writing. Tash just groaned as she looked up to see Clint giving what he considered the eye, and what Tony considered long distance pervy touching of the creepiest manner. Though he wasn't really one to talk now was he. Well known lady's man of Hogwarts.

"You two have got to be fucking," Tony stated, tucking into the food even though the feast was yet to begin. "And if you're not, then I'm surprised Clint can shoot even enchanted arrows straight. What with his wrist being near pulverized."

"I will castrate you."

The hall was alive with the sounds of the buzzing students tucking into their meals of every food known to man and wizard alike. The ceiling beautiful as ever, the evening stars twinkling down above them, shining with a consistency little else in life held.

The teachers sat together watching over them all form the front as usual. Their eyes gliding over everyone, searching for pupils with potential; for pupils to watch out for.

"Oh good lord, here we go again," Professor McGonagall sighed as her eyes finally landed on the six at the back of the hall.

Such disloyalty and disinterest in one's own house, was a quality the Professor detested above all else. She was a Gryffindor and proud, and to see two students with the most potential she'd ever witnessed in her life cheering for Slytherin's seeker year in and year out disgraced her. The complete lack of interest in their own team's victories made her twitch.

"I assume you're referring to our more, disobedient students, in the back Professor," Snape groaned nasally.

"Why of course I am, can you believe the nerve of them. I don't think I've seen that Banner Boy so much as look at another Ravenclaw. Rogers and Odinson have no interest in our own house games. And have you seen the way Miss. Romanov and Mr. Barton behave around each other, in and outside of the class room." McGonagall's voice was shrill and snide as she looked at the hoodlums shooting arrows around in the back of the hall.

Snape looked at McGonagall with silent hatred. His eyes burning holes into her head as he tried to keep his calm exterior. He was only angered more when he caught the eye of that blasted Potter boy.

The Professor knew just as well as most of the other teachers about the feelings Snape had held toward one, Lilly Potter. That beautiful Gryffindor girl who'd stolen his Slytherin heart. Had he been in Gryffindor, maybe she would have chosen him over that brute James. Maybe she would have been safe.

As far as the potions teacher was concerned, the six of them were a shining example to the rest of the school.

"I guess it depends on your point of view," he replied flatty, avoiding all eye contact.

Some people really pissed off Severus Snape.

Tony, Tash, Bruce and Clint all continued to ignore the world around them as Dumbledore stood to make his speech at the end of the feast, preferring instead to ping Bertie Bots every flavor beans at each other. Well, Bruce and Tasha were mostly just watching the other two, even if they couldn't help throwing one or two.

Steve and Thor however were in fact paying attention. Steve mostly because if anything important was said, he had taken it upon himself to inform the others, who he knew weren't listening. Thor, out of respect to one of the greatest wizards of all time, though he couldn't help but get slightly distracted and spare a smile to his fellow wizards (and witch's) antics.

All of them heard though, as Dumbledore announced that the Forbidden Forest was, guess what, forbidden. But it was the extra note he made that some of the older students should also take heed of this, that made them smile, as he glared at Tony.

They were all finding it extremely hard not to laugh at this. Not though, because of Tony's mock innocent face he attempted to pull as he raised his hands in surrender. But rather that Tony was the only one of all of them who had actually been caught.

Bruce's giggles were the first to cease though, as the sight of Tony caught his eye again.

Tony, who's childish and carefree ways always made Bruce smile. One of those real, smitten smiles that you'd only ever give to one specific person. A smile that made something inside you flutter.

Bruce knew it was stupid and pointless, falling for Tony Stark of all people. For one, he was never the type for any kind of real, lasting relationship. One with big scary words like love and forever. Ones filled with promises and dangerous emotions. Bruce, in fairness, knew little of these sorts of relationship as well. The difference was where Bruce was sure he wanted to know more about them as soon as possible, Tony was still only interested in flings.

But that barely scratched the major point of Tony not being gay.

Not even Bi as far as Bruce knew. He never so much as seen his womanizing friend glace at another guy with interest, except in the jokey flirty way he did with all of the groups guys.

Bruce hardly noticed as the feast came to an end. He didn't even realize he was back in the Ravenclaw common room until an enchanted paper airplane crashed into his dazed head.

Hey sexy,
Come for Booze and shared stories of crapy summers,
My room, midnight.
Don't forget you're map.
Sincerely the best Wizard the world has ever and will ever know,
Tony Stark.

Bruce's first reunion party. Sweet.